Unlicensed driving led to 707 accidents and 212 deaths in Uzbekistan last year

The alarming statistics were disclosed during a recent discussion between Kutbiddin Burkhanov, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defense and Security, and Sherzod Ibragimov, the newly appointed head of the Public Safety Department's Traffic Safety Service at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The meeting highlighted the significant impact of unlicensed drivers on road safety in Uzbekistan.

According to Burkhanov, the first half of 2024 alone saw more than 10.2 million traffic violations committed by drivers with valid licenses. This underscores the broader challenges in ensuring road safety across the country.

Despite representing only 0.3% of the total driving population, unlicensed drivers accounted for a staggering 11% of all traffic accidents in 2023. Their continued presence on the roads has proven to be a significant public safety issue, with devastating consequences.

The discussion between Burkhanov and Ibragimov emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of driving regulations to curb the high number of incidents caused by individuals who disregard legal restrictions on their driving privileges.